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House of Lords passes significant amendments to The Employment Rights Bill
The Employment Rights Bill (ERB) is nearing its final parliamentary stages. At Report Stage, the House of Lords unexpectedly passed significant non-government amendments. In particular, these included:
• Retention of a six-month qualifying period of service for unfair dismissal.
• A change to the proposed duty for employers to offer a guaranteed hours contract to make it a right for workers to request a guaranteed hours contract.
• A change to the ERB provisions relating to compensation for shifts cancelled at short notice to define "short notice" as being 48 hours.
• A new provision permitting employees to be accompanied at disciplinary and grievance hearings by a "certified professional companion".
• A new provision requiring the government to make regulations extending protection against unfair dismissal for whistleblowers and imposing a duty on employers to investigate protected disclosures.
• Retention of the 50% turnout threshold required in a ballot for industrial action.
• Retention of the requirement for trade unions to opt out their members from contributions to political funds, unless they have expressly requested to opt in.
The House of Commons is scheduled to consider the House of Lords' amendments on 15 September 2025.